United Technologies Corp.shows 4th-quarter growth

"Balance does work," said Greg Hayes, vice president of accounting and finance, during a conference call with analysts Wednesday morning.

UTC's geographic balance and presence in emerging markets, as well as the continuing infrastructure building going on worldwide, will help the company during what might be a "tougher economic environment," Hayes said.

For the fourth quarter, UTC reported net income of $1.06 billion, or $1.08 per diluted share, on revenues of $14.7 billion. In the fourth quarter of 2006, the company earned $865 million, or 87 cents per diluted share, on revenues of nearly $12.8 billion.

"UTC ended 2007 with a strong fourth quarter," Hayes said.

"They should continue to do well in the current year," said Richard Pettibone, an aerospace defense analyst at Forecast International, in Newtown, of UTC as a whole.

Both Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney, two UTC business segments, have learned from previous downturns, Pettibone said, and have built up backlogs while not overextending production.